Menopause in women is a known phenomenon. This not just marks the end stage of their reproductive cycle but also serve the women with an excuse to get away with mood swings and bad tempers. It occurs due to change in the normal hormone level in women. However, people are yet not aware of the fact that even men experience an alteration in their hormone level as they age.

Even men have several symptoms which are age related and points to the fact that they may be going through ‘male menopause’ which could be due to a decrease in the level of male hormones, the testosterones. The male menopause is also referred as andropause, named after the male hormones, androgens. However, andropause differs from menopause as in men, they can reproduce even in their 90’s owning to the fact that though the level of testosterone dips, it does not completely diminish. At the same time, menopause means that the level of estrogen decreases in women and they can no longer produce ovum or menstruate. Also, women achieve menopause after the age of 45 while the sperm count in men starts decreasing at the rate of 1 % post the age of 35.

Despite all this, men who are going through andropause show symptoms that are similar to that of women who are undergoing menopause.

Symptoms-

• Loss of libido- when men go through this phase, they experience a sudden and unexplained decrease in the level of sexual desires.
• Potency- Though andropause does not render men impotent, there is a decrease in the sperm production due to decrease in the level of testosterones. Due to this men are not able to fertilize the ovum and their potency level decreases.
• Nervousness- Their confidence level decreases and men in this phase may have trouble giving interviews and presentations.
• Emotional upheaval – men may also have sudden mood swings due to which they may appear low and depressed.
• They may suffer from sudden and temporary memory losses
• Lack of concentration- they may not be able to concentrate.
• Fatigue- the men always appear to be tired and the smallest exertion wears them out.
• Insomnia- the men have disturbed sleep where they either have difficulty in falling asleep or may have a light sleep.
• They may also experience hot flushes accompanied by severe sweating.

Unlike menopause which can be identified easily, men are not able to identify this disorder, even when they are going through it. Despite the evident symptom, it can be misdiagnosed as erectile dysfunction or midlife crisis. Though both the states are different as erectile dysfunction is a physiological disorder and midlife crisis occurs due to emotional unbalance, they are confused due to similarities in symptoms.

There can be an early onset of this disorder in men who are exposes to certain chemicals. This includes men who are working in pharmaceutical companies, plastic factories, or I farms that uses pesticides.

Usually by the time men reach their mid 50’s, 30 % of them have experienced andropause.

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